Opinions Needed: To Pinstripe or Not

[dishwab]

Alright R3V, help me out with this. My E30 is in the final stage of body/paint work, and I have to decide whether or not to add a pinstripe.

The car is a late model cirrusblau coupe. Color is staying the same, but with a few cosmetic changes: blacking out the window trim, adding M-Tech 2 front valance, IS skirts, and color matched rear apron.

Here is my dilemma: originally the car had a dual white pinstripe which I liked the look of. My painter is recommending going with a black pinstripe, though, thinking that the white will clash now that the chrome is gone. I however am afraid the black will be too stark of a contrast with the cirrusblau paint, whereas the white was a little more subtle.

Personally I think I would go with no pinstripe, but there is a tinnnnnny line under the new paint where you can see evidence of the old striping. It's super hard to see, and most people would never notice it, but I'm pretty OCD about these things and I'll definitely know it's there.

So: help me decide. I've got a bunch of photoshop mockups from various angles that show the options (black, original white, none), as well as the shadowline trim + paint updates. What say you, R3V?

Profile (Black):



Profile (White):



Profile (None):




Front Quarter (Black):



Front Quarter (White):



Front Quarter (None):




Front Clip (Black):



Front Clip (White):



Front Clip (None):




Rear Quarter (Black):



Rear Quarter (White):



Rear Quarter (None):

[mlbryant8]

Have you considered blue?

[dishwab]

Have you considered blue?

I haven't, but I don't think I will just because I don't want to introduce another option into the mix!

[ELVA164]

Black looks alright if you're set on getting pinstripes, but I like the look without any. The car is in great shape and the body lines look good in Cirrusblau.

[agent]

I'd usually say none, since the body lines of an E30 make striping redundant. I'm curious to know how the old stripe ended up under new paint though.

[dishwab]

I'd usually say none, since the body lines of an E30 make striping redundant. I'm curious to know how the old stripe ended up under new paint though.

From what I was told, it was removed with a wire wheel and sanded, and seemed smooth before the new paint was laid down. I saw the car at that stage and didn't notice it, nor did the painter obviously. Once the new paint was down, though, you can just barely make out the old outline.

It's really only noticeable on the driver's side fender, everywhere else it it barely perceptible without really looking for it.

[aegul44]

NONE. Looks much cleaner and better.

[agent]

From what I was told, it was removed with a wire wheel and sanded, and seemed smooth before the new paint was laid down. I saw the car at that stage and didn't notice it, nor did the painter obviously. Once the new paint was down, though, you can just barely make out the old outline.

It's really only noticeable on the driver's side fender, everywhere else it it barely perceptible without really looking for it.

It happens. I still say no stripe.

Car is looking great BTW. :up:

[LateFan]

I hate pinstripes - that shape is so clean by itself. We lucked out and ours were tape. We carefully peeled them off and then polished.

I have an old Volvo 850T wagon, bright red. Bought it used, with pinstripes. We hit a deer long ago, which took out the hood, fender, driver's door, and rear door. I thought, HA, I can finally get rid of those stripes! Before I could get to the body shop, they had painted it and painted new stripes to "match what was there" because "that's the way I wanted it."

Oh well.

That is a good-looking car, good luck.

[dishwab]

It happens. I still say no stripe.

Car is looking great BTW. :up:

Indeed. Appreciate the input :up:

Should look even better soon! The bay is being painted now, and the skirts + valance are being installed. Just in time to put her away again for the winter...

[15Michaeljoseph]

I like a gold pinstripe... In the higher of the two stock optioned locations :)

--Mike

[dereliiict]

I personally think the black pinstripe is sexy. My 0.02.

When I was painting, we always took the stripe are to bare metal then used a high build primer in the formerly striped area and blocked it before laying any sealer. Letting it cute and shrink for a couple of days, then also wet blocking the sealer. Damn things always want to come back and that was the only way to permanently get rid of them.

[ELVA164]

Slightly off-topic, but what color is your roof?

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Slightly off-topic, but what color is your roof?

I believe that is just reflection from lighting.

[dishwab]

I believe that is just reflection from lighting.

Indeed, just the lighting in the photos. Car is 100% cirrusblau